Card block structure for card boxes

ABSTRACT

A card block structure for card boxes comprises a card block strut, a solenoid valve and a card box. The card box holds at least one poker card and has an outlet with a round hole run through by the card block strut. The card block strut is located on the solenoid valve and driven to extend or shrink. The card block strut can be extended upwards above the round hole to block the poker card or shrunk to sink into the round hole without blocking the poker card. Through a controller and game rules, the card block strut can be sunk into the round hole while dealing cards so that the poker card can be drawn from the card box. When dealing cards is not desired, the card block strut is protruded above the round hole to block the poker card from being drawn from the card box.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a poker game apparatus and particularlyto a card block structure for card boxes to prevent dealing cardserroneously.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a conventional card game starts bya dealer taking out a poker card 2 from a card box 1 (as shown in FIG.1A); the poker card 2 passes through an identification zone 3 (as shownin FIG. 1B), and then is placed on a card display zone 4 (as shown inFIG. 1C). There is a video identification system 6 located beneath atable 5. When the porker card 2 passes through the identification zone3, the image of the poker card 2 is obtained and the card symbol isidentified after the image is digitally processed.

Various poker games have different rules. The dealer has to dealadditional cards according to the rules. Due to there are numerousvariations of poker games, it could happen that erroneous additionalcards are being dealt because the dealer is unfamiliar to the rules orinadvertent negligence. When such a situation takes place, the currentround of game has to be revoked or altered. If such an occurrencehappens frequently, players' desire to participate in the game drops andthe fairness of the dealer suffers, even unnecessary disputes couldoccur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide acard block structure for card boxes to prevent dealing cardserroneously.

The card block structure according to the invention comprises a cardbox, a solenoid valve and a card block strut. The card box holds atleast one poker card and has an outlet with a round hole formed thereon.The solenoid valve is extensible when being driven. The card block strutis located on the solenoid valve and can run through the round hole ofthe card box when being driven by the solenoid valve and can be extendedupwards to run through the round hole to block the poker card or can beshrunk to sink into the round hole without blocking the poker card.

By means of the structure set forth above, the solenoid valve cancontrol the card block strut whether to protrude outside the round holeto control the card box to deal cards. Through merely one controller andaccording to game rules, additional cards can be dealt when the cardblock strut is sunk into the round hole, and the poker cards can bedrawn out from the card box. When no additional card is to be dealt, thecard block strut is protruded outside the round hole so that the pokercards cannot be drawn out from the card box to prevent the additionalcards from being dealt erroneously by the dealer.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanyingembodiment and drawings. The embodiment serves only for illustrativepurpose and is not the limitation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of conventional card dealing process-1 by adealer.

FIG. 1B is a schematic view of conventional card dealing process-2 by adealer.

FIG. 1C is a schematic view of conventional card dealing process-3 by adealer.

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention showing the card blockstrut in a shrink condition.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the invention with the card box disassembled.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the invention implemented on a table.

FIG. 7A is a schematic view of card dealing process-1 by a dealeraccording to the invention.

FIG. 7B is a schematic view of card dealing process-2 by a dealeraccording to the invention

FIG. 7C is a schematic view of card dealing process-3 by a dealeraccording to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIGS. 2 through 5, the card block structure for cardboxes according to the invention comprises a card box 10, a solenoidvalve 30 and a card block strut 31. The card box 10 holds at least onepoker card 70 (also referring to FIG. 7A) and has an outlet 11 which hasa round hole 12 formed thereon. The card block strut 31 can run throughthe round hole 12 of the card box 10 and is located on the solenoidvalve 30 to be driven thereof to extend upwards through the round hole12 to block the poker card 70 (as shown in FIG. 3), or shrink to sinkinto the round hole 12 without blocking the poker card 70 (as shown inFIG. 4).

The invention further includes a rack 20 which has an upper lid 21. Thecard box 10 is mounted onto the upper lid 21 of the rack 20. Thesolenoid valve 30 is located in the rack 20. The card block strut 31runs through the upper lid 21 to align the round hole 12. The upper lid21 also may include an indented positioning track 22 for latching andanchoring the card box 10. The upper lid 21 further can have a hangingrack 23 at a lower side for hanging the solenoid valve 30.

Also referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the rack 20 is located in a table 60with the upper lid 21 and the surface of the table 60 are at the samehorizontal level. The upper lid 21 has a transparent identification zone211 and a spacer 24 is located on a middle portion in the rack 20. Thespacer 24 has a stepped mounting board 25 to allow a videoidentification system 80 installed thereon. The mounting board 25 isformed in a profile and angle to allow the video identification system80 aligning the identification zone 211. The mounting board 25 alsoallows a lighting element 85 installed thereon. The lighting element 85aligns the identification zone 211 according to the profile and angle ofthe mounting board 25. The lighting element 85 may be a light emittingdiode (LED).

Also referring to FIGS. 7A through 7C, the invention can further includea controller (not shown in the drawings) to control operation of thesolenoid valve 30 according to a set rule. Referring to the drawings,when it's not sure whether dealing additional cards is needed, as shownin FIG. 7A, the controller controls the operation of the solenoid valve30 to allow the card block strut 31 to be protruded above the round hole12 to block the poker card 70 from being drawn out from the card box 10.According to the game rule, when dealing additional cards is required,referring to FIG. 7B, the card block strut 31 is sunk into the roundhole 12 to allow the poker card 70 to be drawn out from the card box 10so that the dealer can deal additional cards. When dealing additionalcards is finished, the card block strut 31 can be protruded above theround hole 12 again to prevent the poker card 70 from being drawn outfrom the card box 10. Thus the invention can prevent the dealer fromdealing additional cards erroneously.

As a conclusion, by controlling the card block strut 31 to protrudeabove the round hole 12, whether the poker card 70 can be drawn out fromthe card box 10 can be controlled. Hence the poker card 70 can be drawnout from the card box 10 when dealing additional cards is required, andby means of block of the card block strut 31, the poker card 70 cannotbe drawn out from the card box 10 so that erroneous dealing ofadditional cards can be prevented, and disputes can also be averted.

1. A card block structure for card boxes, comprising: a card box whichholds at least one poker card and includes an outlet and a round holeformed at the outlet; a solenoid valve which is extensible when beingdriven; and a card block strut which is located on the solenoid valveand driven by the solenoid valve to extend upwards to run through theround hole of the card box to block the poker card and shrink to sinkinto the round hole without blocking the poker card.
 2. The card blockstructure of claim 1 further comprising a controller to controloperation of the solenoid valve according to a set rule.
 3. The cardblock structure of claim 1 further comprising a rack which includes anupper lid to hold the card box, the solenoid valve being located in therack, and the card block strut running through the upper lid to alignthe round hole.
 4. The card block structure of claim 3, wherein theupper lid includes an indented positioning track to latch and anchor thecard box.
 5. The card block structure of claim 4, wherein the rack islocated in a table and the upper lid and the surface of the table beingat a same horizontal level.
 6. The card block structure of claim 5,wherein the upper lid includes a transparent identification zone at thebottom thereof, the rack comprising a spacer which includes a mountingboard formed at a profile and angle to allow a video identificationsystem and a lighting element installed thereon to align theidentification zone.